How life has changed in Southampton

Southampton's population increased by about 19,400 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the most notable changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 240,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Southampton increased by 8.9%, from about 217,000 to 237,000.

The addition of about 19,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Southampton was home to, on average, 34 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South East's second-most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Southampton

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Southampton decreased by one year, from 33 to 32 years.

This area had the third-lowest average age in the South East and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 6,300 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just over 900.

About 22.0% of people in Southampton are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Southampton by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Southampton saw the South East's largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11.0%) households in Southampton had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.9% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person remained close to 33.8%.

Across the region, Dover saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple (from 8.1% in 2001 to 10.1% in 2011).

During this period, Southampton went from having the 22nd-highest to the 11th-highest percentage of cohabiting households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Southampton working less than 16 hours increased from 2.5% to 4.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 11 (8.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Southampton increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Southampton, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Southampton

Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation in Southampton, the largest percentage point increase was among those who said they had no religion, rising 12.6 points between 2001 and 2011. The census question about religion is voluntary, so varying response rates mean caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

In 2011, 36.1% of respondents in Southampton said they had no religion, up from 23.5% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of respondents who described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Around 55.4% of respondents in Southampton said they were Christian, down from 71.3% in 2001. About 4.5% said they were Muslim, up from 2.1% a decade prior.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Southampton increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Southampton by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Southampton

The percentage of Southampton residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.8% to 3.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 19 (5.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.6% in 2001. The percentage of Southampton residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91.7% to 91.4%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Southampton at a faster rate than across the South East.

In Southampton, the proportion of private renting increased from 16.5% in 2001 to 24.9% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 10.2% to 16.5%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10.2% to 16.5%.

The rate of social housing in Southampton fell from 24.0% to 23.3%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 57.1% to 49.7%.

Private renting in Southampton increased by 8.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Southampton, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Southampton

In 2011, 8.4% of Southampton residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 4.6% in 2001. The 3.9 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 85.9% of people in Southampton said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 92.4% in 2001. About 2.4% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.5% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 1.0% to 2.1%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Southampton increased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Southampton by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Southampton residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.6% to 5.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.5%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68.3% in 2001. The percentage of Southampton residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.1% to 12.4%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Southampton decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Southampton, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Southampton

The percentage of married people fell in Southampton, but at a slower rate than in Leeds (one of the most statistically similar areas to Southampton based on ONS area classifications).

In Southampton, the proportion of married people decreased from 39.9% in 2001 to 37.2% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Leeds decreased from 47.1% to 41.7%.

Across the South East, the share of married people decreased from 52.8% to 49.3%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Southampton increased from 40.8% to 45.3%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner remained close to 11.8%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Southampton residents that were studying increased from 5.0% to 6.5% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (50.5%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50.6% in 2001. The percentage of Southampton residents that were unemployed increased from 2.9% to 4.2%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Southampton increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Southampton, the South East and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Southampton residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.8% to 2.0% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Southampton remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Southampton by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Southampton with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 7.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 26.1%, while the percentage of households in Southampton without children remained close to 65.7%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.8% in 2001 to 9.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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